Not too long ago, Kamalpreet Kaur broke her own record at the Indian Grand Prix 4 with a 66.59-meter throw in her fifth attempt and she will be gunning for a medal in Tokyo Olympics 2020.
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In India, when most girls from a rural background are often married at a young age, Kamalpreet Kaur, 25, had a choice. Sports and performing well in them was the only thing that would take her away from the clutches of marriage, but little did she know, she would go on to become an inspiration for many young girls across the country. Sports came naturally to Kamalpreet Kaur after she was suggested by many that she should try sports if she wasn’t excelling at studying.
“I knew that if I don’t do well at studies my fate would be the same. However, I was willing to change that. I wanted to do something different. So I thought sports would get me a job and help in avoiding marriage,” Kaur said in an exclusive interaction with sportslumo.com.
Kaur proved her mettle at the national level as she defeated Asian Games gold medalist Seema Punia. In due process, she broke a national record set by Punia in 2009, as she completed a 65.06-meter throw at the 24th National Federation Cup to book her spot in the Olympics.
Not too long ago, Kaur broke her own record at the Indian Grand Prix 4 with a 66.59-meter throw in her fifth attempt. Kamalpreet is the first Indian to breach the 65-meter mark. Her national record of 66.59 meters would have helped her secure a bronze in Rio. Kamalpreet Kaur only hopes to better this performance at the Tokyo Olympics and hopes to win a medal for India in athletics. If she does, then this would be the first medal for India in athletics.
Coming from a family of farmers, she knew that hard work and sheer determination could take her away from getting married. And she was ready for it when Kaur realized she was not doing well in school.
“During the class VIII exams, I just managed 33 marks in Maths and English, respectively. But, I realised that I was not going anywhere with my studies. I knew that if things continued in the same way, I would not get a job,” Kaur said.
“Around this time, I decided to take part in a sports event and did well. People liked my height and built and suggested that I give sports a try. At that time, my height was around 5 feet 9 inches and now it’s 6 feet and an inch,” she added.
Kaur’s journey into sports started with a little step when her school physical education teacher suggested she take up sports and took her to a shot put meet. Kaur was so good that she ranked number 4 in Punjab and eventually moved to Sports Authority of India, Badal. It was at that point, her life truly changed. Her coach, Preethpal Maru suggested she switch from shot put to discus throw. A decision that has now changed her life.
However, not everyone can adjust to hard training hours and hostel food. This was the same apprehension Kaur’s mother had when she disclosed her wish to move to SAI centre. Her father was extremely supportive and gave her a nod of approval.
“After I joined the Sports Authority of India center in Badal, I switched to discus throw. The coach, Preethpal Maru, suggested I try discus throwing and I followed his suggestion to take up the sport. My father was supportive. The only apprehension my mother had was how I would adjust to hostel life having spent all my life in a joint family. Her biggest concern was the hostel food. However, I insisted I would adjust to everything, including food,” Kaur said.
Besides the initial coaching and SAI support, Kaur says she was also supported by GoSports Foundation. This foundation is known for supporting athletes and providing them with all they need– from a dietician to equipment.
“Things got better when the GoSports Foundation started supporting me in 2019. They provided me with a nutritionist and gave me a monthly diet chart. They were keeping a tab on how many calories were being spent during training. And what I should be eating to regain my strength after training. My diet became more balanced. They also helped me with equipment support like shoes.”
Kaur, before becoming extremely serious about her discus training, was always a fan of cricket. She has been a Virender Sehwag fan. At one point in time wanted to pursue cricket as a career and not discus throw. But now, the Olympian says she is looking forward to the Games. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she was faced with uncertainties about her future. She wanted to quit the sport. However, she says after talking to a lot of seniors, she was able to change her mind. And continued training with more zeal and enthusiasm.
As of now, Kaur could be one of India’s medal contenders as her personal best is a tad bit better than what Rio 2016 bronze medalist hit. Let the games begin!
